How Smoking Causes Damage to Your Skin

Smoking causes many diseases, like cancer, strokes, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and coronary heart disease. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention it affects nearly every organ in the body negatively. One organ in particular that is harmed immensely by smoking is the skin.

Blood is a vehicle for oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to our body’s tissues and organs. Our circulatory system is continually piping blood through its vessels. The inside of each healthy blood vessel is coated with a thin layer of cells that ensure the blood to flow smoothly. Smoking sets carbon monoxide free and damages this thin cell layer, allowing plaque and fats to stick to the vessel walls.

Lasting damage to collagen and epithelial tissue makes a person look old and wrinkled much quicker than they should. Though there are many cosmetic treatments available to fight this, none of those will have any lasting effect if the person keeps smoking.

Consider a change in diet. People tend to be dehydrated without even knowing it, and this can play a major role in skin health. Increased water intake and a consumption of fruits and vegetables can have a fantastic effect on dry skin and serve as a good start to reclaiming a more vibrant look.

Vitamin E, vitamin C, essential fatty acids and lipophilic antioxidants may help restore skin health as well, but other options are available for more serious cases.

Microdermabrasion, chemical peels, fractional laser resurfacing treatments, and Photofacial remove damaged skin and help promote the growth of natural collagen, which is a key factor in improving skin smoothness, elasticity, and vibrancy. Those procedures should be conducted by a professional.